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Animation artist vs graphic designer/production

The differences between animation artists and graphic designer/productions can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an animation artist, becoming a graphic designer/production takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an animation artist has an average salary of $80,929, which is higher than the $48,619 average annual salary of a graphic designer/production.

The top three skills for an animation artist include animation, maya and character animation. The most important skills for a graphic designer/production are graphic design, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.

Animation artist vs graphic designer/production overview

Animation ArtistGraphic Designer/Production
Yearly salary$80,929$48,619
Hourly rate$38.91$23.37
Growth rate5%3%
Number of jobs3,82295,831
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age4038
Years of experience212

What does an animation artist do?

Animation artists or animators are skilled professionals who create multiple images that form animation, which can be seen in movies, commercials, television programs, and video games. To produce those illusions of movements, animation artists must use several animation software such as Maya, AfterEffects, and Photoshop. They must collaborate with graphic designers and editors to create animations for the entire show. Animation artists must also create high-quality animations by producing expressive characters that can portray a wide range of emotions.

What does a graphic designer/production do?

A Graphics Designer in production is the person in charge of designing and interpreting ideas pointed out by the client or the company. The graphics designer must use market standard applications and techniques to produce attention-grabbing designs intended to market a product, service, or company. Graphic designers are an integral part of a company's digital marketing, especially over the internet. The graphic designer must have a good eye for style, typesetting, and the use of colors.

Animation artist vs graphic designer/production salary

Animation artists and graphic designer/productions have different pay scales, as shown below.

Animation ArtistGraphic Designer/Production
Average salary$80,929$48,619
Salary rangeBetween $52,000 And $125,000Between $35,000 And $67,000
Highest paying CityLas Vegas, NVMenlo Park, CA
Highest paying stateNevadaMaryland
Best paying companyMicrosoftOptimum Nutrition
Best paying industryMediaTechnology

Differences between animation artist and graphic designer/production education

There are a few differences between an animation artist and a graphic designer/production in terms of educational background:

Animation ArtistGraphic Designer/Production
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorAnimationGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Animation artist vs graphic designer/production demographics

Here are the differences between animation artists' and graphic designer/productions' demographics:

Animation ArtistGraphic Designer/Production
Average age4038
Gender ratioMale, 76.4% Female, 23.6%Male, 57.0% Female, 43.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%13%

Differences between animation artist and graphic designer/production duties and responsibilities

Animation artist example responsibilities.

  • Edit video, write copy for television, radio, and web-base commercials while managing the scheduling of all studio employees.
  • Start using CSS for layout.
  • Produce storyboards and illustrations for film and print projects.
  • Use of HTML for webmastering and occasionally design ad campaigns.
  • Streamline workflow from legacy files to new creation in various multimedia softwares.
  • Work on various TV commercials consisting of animating, compositing, video editing, and VFX.
  • Show more

Graphic designer/production example responsibilities.

  • Manage production of products; custom banners, t-shirts, satin flags, from concept to final product.
  • Manage various publications including catalogs, catalog inserts, brochures, mailers and advertising material.
  • Develop and update conference materials, including PowerPoint presentations, posters, handouts, badges, table tents, and folders.
  • Produce corporate identity systems and collateral print materials, print advertising, product/capabilities brochures, direct mail and newsletters.
  • Produce daily, weekly and monthly newsletters in both print and HTML.
  • Create cleaner HTML email templates and help others within the group improve their HTML skills.
  • Show more

Animation artist vs graphic designer/production skills

Common animation artist skills
  • Animation, 29%
  • Maya, 10%
  • Character Animation, 8%
  • Concept Art, 7%
  • Motion Graphics, 7%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 5%
Common graphic designer/production skills
  • Graphic Design, 14%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 9%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 8%
  • Art Direction, 6%
  • Adobe Indesign, 5%
  • Signage, 5%

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